United States › Grand Island METRO AREA
Grand Island Metro Grand Island, NE · 3 counties · 78,076 residents (2025 est.) · 1,604 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Grand Island is home to 76,794 people. That puts it in the top 10% of US metro areas for household income. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The typical home is worth $218,383, having more than doubled since 2000. Getting to work takes 19 minutes on average. There are 48 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 51%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 68,305 in 2000
78,076 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 43 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
62K 66K 70K 74K 78K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Grand Island Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $69,800
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,378 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,037 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.408 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.7%
Public administration 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Education & health services 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$218,383
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,425 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$909
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $444 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 68.0% in 2000
34.6% rent
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.54 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 35.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 86.7%(59,229)
Hispanic / Latino 11.3%(7,731)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 66.1%(50,781)
Hispanic / Latino 27.3%(20,936)
from 39 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 41 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data from 15.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 72.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 81.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 81.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 15.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 32.9%(9,984)
Women 15+
Never married 26.1%(7,721)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 19.2%(638)
Gulf War (1990s) 12.9%(429)
Share of the 3,328 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
3 component counties Drill deeper
Metros similar to Grand Island Head to head
Compare Grand Island side by side GRAND ISLAND VS
Frankfort
Income $68,235 −2%
Home value $219,317 same
Population 77,874 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
GRAND ISLAND VS
Hobbs
Income $68,015 −3%
Home value $184,000 −16%
Population 74,749 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
GRAND ISLAND VS
Casper
Income $72,156 +3%
Home value $273,000 +25%
Population 80,526 +3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
GRAND ISLAND VS
Auburn
Income $67,904 −3%
Home value $171,000 −22%
Population 74,365 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Grand Island, NE? Grand Island, NE has about 76,794 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Grand Island, NE? The typical household in Grand Island, NE earns about $69,800 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Grand Island, NE expensive? In Grand Island, NE, the median home is worth about $218,383, and the typical rent is about $909 a month.
How educated are people in Grand Island, NE? About 21.6% of adults age 25 and over in Grand Island, NE hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Grand Island, NE? About 12.7% of people in Grand Island, NE live below the federal poverty line.
Has Grand Island, NE grown since 1990? Yes, Grand Island, NE has grown since 1990. The population has added about 13,772 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
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